Action more than words required for Pakistan misadventure

Author: IPF Date: 10 Aug 2015 13:44:34

India Policy Foundation (IPF) on August 8, 2015 organised a seminar on ‘Idea of Pakistan’ at Deendayal Research Foundation. Some eminent speakers and experts on Pakistan outlined the very concept of Idea of Pakistan as per their understanding and experience that was a progeny of two-nation theory which itself had undergone and was undergoing many similar types of fallout. It was also outlines that how the neighbouring country has become a major threat to India that needs to be dealt with iron hands.

India must hit Pakistan economically

Deliberating upon that matter Maj Gen (Dr) G D Bakshi said, “Despite knowing it very well that Pakistan is a big threat to India, it has not been able to deal with it the way it should have been dealing with. Pakistan has been able to muster support from China and its twice dead economy was revived add and help however we were unable to do anything.” Maj Gen (Dr) G D Bakshi said that India must break the country economically else with the support of China, it is not only in a position to challenge India but cause harm to energy supply of the country in a crisis situation but also in a position to put internal security in jeopardy.

He further said that India has been a 10 time bigger than the Pakistan economy and 7 time bigger defence expenditure but has not been able to emerge as deterrent for Pakistan on the contrary Pakistan has been bleeding India now and then and time and again. This can be stopped only when tough decisions are taken and let action speak for themselves.

Only screaming and shouting will not help

Two-nation theory is the best answer for Pakistan

Another defence expert Sushant Sareen said that there are innumerable means of fighting the menace of Pakistan. First there is a need to have a Pakistan policy at least. Once the policy is in place only then the government of the day will be able to use the leverages prepared by the government for its benefit. Just screaming and shouting will not be of any help but some decisive action required. Indian government needs to capitalise on the fault lines of the two-nation theory of Pakistan on it only. The Indian government must understand that anti-India feeling in Pakistan is so much so that despite all differences they are united on this issue only. So it must be utilised to the maximum to push the country into corner.

Pakistan is a civil and army hybrid form of democracy

Special secretary in the cabinet secretariat Rana Banerjee said that Pakistan is a warrior or garrison state. It has been using terrorists and Islam. It has also been using Kashmir against India. Pakistan rejected no war pact with India and all the support to army is done by China. It is not only that as per Azme Nab policy of Pakistan they have made all preparations to reach borders as soon as possible.

Banerjee said that the Pakistan has been facing constant political instability but now they have come up with a civil and military hybrid that is now working in Pakistan. A facade is made that a democratic government is working in Pakistan with actual control of Army over affairs of the nation. There is also a need to understand that we have to manage relations with Pakistan not expectation with Pakistan.

India keeps eye shut on even potent danger

Former diplomat Rajiv Dogra said that the difference with India and any other nation over dealing with the situation is that any country becomes ruthless when they sense danger is coming but it is not the case with India. This is the reason we keep bleeding.

Dogra said, “We also paid price during the partition when Jinna wanted to keep some Hindus in Pakistan and accept only elite Muslims. This was an attempt to put pressure to bargain and blackmail India in the future.”

Victimhood to inciting religious sentiment key to Islam

IPF director Rakesh Sinha said that debate on Pakistan start with politics of language and changes to politics of narration. Diplomacy needs dialogue but same thing is not applicable for China what is applicable for Pakistan. Why so? Because there are state actors and non-state actors in Pakistan. Sinha asked? What is objective idea of Pakistan? The problem comes when instead of looking for civilisation relations with India, it starts looking for an important ally in the US.

Muslim in India found themselves a nation and they got a separate state for themselves. The main trait for them is victimhood to religious sentiment which started from William Wilson Hunter report in 1870 to Sachar Committee of recent times.

Sinha said that the last attempt to secularise Pakistan was made by setting up Muneere Commission in 1953 that tells that no two Muslim religious leaders agree on principals of Islam. Then how conflict could be avoided? There are two things that Muslims talk about the most one is victimhood and the other is religious sentiment. Modernity and European influence have been other thing claimed to be harming Islam. But one thing that needs to be understood both ISIS and Pakistan trying to define Islam putting the very existence of the country in danger.

There was a huge gathering for the programme and for that one of the speakers congratulated organisers. Some eminent people were also present in the audience.